


Work Song

by Heavydirtys0ul, things-we-used-tc-share (Heavydirtys0ul)



Series: Wasteland, Baby! [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 06:04:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19941418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavydirtys0ul/pseuds/Heavydirtys0ul, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavydirtys0ul/pseuds/things-we-used-tc-share
Summary: Roman grew impatient but counts his blessings before they hatch as Patton is placed in a position of danger and Roman has to crawl through six feet of dirt to make him feel safe.





	1. Nothing in her room

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for this fic: Being buried alive, violence, stabbing, Fear for life scenarios at least twice, homophobia, sex mention, sex act mention

_"There's nothing sweeter than my baby,_

_I'd never want once from the cherry tree,_

_because my baby is as sweet as can be,"_

_-Work Song, Hozier_

* * *

Virgil shouldn't tease really, as he trails behind the elder "You'll walk holes to Hell the way you're pacing," He hums, fingertips tracing Roman's spine as the Faery walks, well 'walks' is only an adjective close to the way Roman moves, so fluid as though he barely touches the ground. Virgil doesn't complain, not really, Roman looks good doing anything and the Witch would rather he pace out his Anxiety than ruin something with it. "Where are we going?" The ebony-haired man finally asks as they disappear through the trees. "What're the chances he will simply be waiting at the gates? It's the third time now Roman I think you may find yourself disappointed," A low hiss warns him to shut his mouth and Virgil can only sigh, his lover is stubborn, it's a remarkable quality he never wants Roman to lose...however sometimes he really does want to slap him over it. 

Any conversation is cut short by the iron gates opening and a frail body running through it, coughing and spluttering and...bleeding. Virgil recognizes the smell of the Human right before Roman does, the Faery's eyes turn blood red with fury as Patton falls into his arms crying. Virgil can hear shouting and see three boys hurtling towards them. "Roman we should go they have iron, you could..."

"Take Patton somewhere safe,"

"Roman please, for once stop being an arrogant fool," The look he gets tells him that one day Roman's anger may not make his decisions, however, today is not that day. He curses and gathers the injured human in his arms as Roman faces the boys. They all looked to be around Patton's age, and the rather disgusting slurs on their lips seemed to determine their business with him. Virgil lays Patton down on the ground and tugs up his shirt to find a particularly deep scratch, but nothing has been nicked, a simple healing potion could sort that out. By the time he's looked up, Roman has disappeared behind the open gates and so have the boys. Cursing, he gathers Patton in his arms and heads back to his village. 

* * *

"So who are you then? His boyfriend?" One of the boys snarl as Roman approaches "He looks like the hippie type that'd suck dick in a forest," Roman snarls at him and lunches, the boy laughs and punches him, it barely even causes Roman to flinch as he wraps a hand around the stranger's neck and lifts him from the ground. Rule one in a fight: Never show them how strong you are from the get-go when there's more than two of them because one of them will panic and do something stupid.

Like, bury an iron knife straight between your shoulder blade. 

Roman drops the mortal with a hollow sound ripping from his lungs, the blade burning into his skin and stifling his otherwise hyper-regenerative healing. He curses as he's kicked to the ground. "Shit I think you might've killed him," Roman can taste blood on his tongue and he very much does not like _that_ , he supposes that there are few people who like to taste themselves dying so there's at least one experience he can share with mortals. His eyes close, the iron poisoning his veins, if it isn't removed soon it will spread through him and kill him off bit by torturous bit. The world around him seems to blacken, the loud arguing fading to annoying buzzing sound (Virgil would joke, if he were here to save him the way he usually is, that when mortals talk all he usually hears is buzzing). Roman's eyes close, tasting blood, feeling it stream from his body with his soul. It's not the way he wanted to go, that's for sure, Virgil said his anger would kill him but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. 

He's only what, 400 years old? For Fae, that's like finishing kindergarten and dying (He's lying, it's more like finishing college and dying but he's dying, let him be a dramatic asshole in death as he was in life). 

Blackness descends. Roman falls asleep.

Usually, when people die, they tend to stay dead which is why the three boys decided to bury Roman after removing the blade from between his shoulders and screaming that his blood had gone a very inky black color, like you could write a scripture with it if you wanted to invite a curse into your home. But the key thing is that they removed the blade before they buried him under six feet of dirt in a makeshift body bag that probably would've suffocated a mortal, luckily for them and for Roman he is no mortal, and they will certainly get their dues paid but it most certainly won't be from the Earth itself. Or the people that make it tick. 

* * *

Virgil feels aching in his chest as his fingertips go to the charm around his neck, it falls over his heart and currently, it feels like a small supernova had burned itself into the shell of glass. He lays the unconscious Human on the table with tears in his eyes "You better be fucking worth it, Patton," He whispers "If he dies it better have been worth it," He slides Patton's shirt off and begins to flit around making the potion at a speed that he knows Roman would be urging him to act on. He's halfway through smashing chamomile into the mixture when it clatters into the bowl, staring at the scar.

The scar. Not the wound. "What...the fuck?" The Witch's fingers ghost over the skin that had managed to knit itself together. How is that possible? He's human, he smells Human, he looks Human... yet there's nothing or no way that could have been humanly possible. Virgil swallows deeply and presses the mixture over the scar anyway because the healing that Patton's body had managed to do was sort of jagged and makeshift and not exactly perfect. Like it had learned to do it but only recently. He stares at the mortal's body and shakes his head "Whatever or whoever you are...and I for once have no idea, I hope you know what you've done,"

Virgil slips the charm from around his neck, incapable of feeling the burn for a moment longer. He can't leave Patton here alone unconscious, he loves his coven but he couldn't trust them with a mortal. Except...the Witch races outside "Mother?" He calls to the campfire of people "Mother?" A head tilts up, lifting her skirt to step over the rocks she was sat on to make her way to her son with a curious smile "I need you to look after something for me," She follows him into the house and heaves a deep sigh when she sees Patton lying on the table, still completely out cold. "He's lost a bit of blood but I patched him up well, just...keep an eye on him for me, please, I need to go to Roman," If anyone would always completely trust Virgil's choices, it would be his mother (and his brother, on a good day), although they are all so very wary of mortals, he would never endanger her. 

"Of course Virgil, go to your troublemaker boyfriend, and you tell that Prince if he's gotten you into more trouble I'll start lighting fires," she presses a kiss to his forehead "Please stay safe," Virgil nods and squeezes her hand before he takes off into the setting sunset as fast as his legs can carry him, charm dangling from his tight fist intensely. 


	2. No grave can hold my body down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's not enough dirt in the world to keep Roman away from Virgil, or murder for that matter.

_"When my time comes around,_

_Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth,_

_No grave can hold my body down,_

_I'll crawl home to her,"_

_-Work Song, Hozier_

* * *

Roman is burning, but he's alive. His eyes dart open as he takes a very sharp breath in, followed by a cough. Is this what permanent suffocation feels like? He will most definitely not be dying in a plastic bag thank you very much, he's a prince, not a pirate (Virgil would say "Really? That's your first thought right now?") He runs a sharp nail through the plastic and shuffles around on the wooden board they'd buried him on ( _What was the point in that? 'Were they begging for me to escape my confines?_ ' He supposes most people tend to stay dead in their realm) He claws through the cold earth with great difficulty, wondering how much dirt he's swallowing with every strike. But the more that he tries to escape the more dirt there appears to be. 

The prince does not like being buried alive, he decides, _'Why did they bury me at all?_ ' It seems a little counterproductive they could've just left him to rot at the side of the road, that makes the whole not-actually-dying thing a little easier now that his body has finished healing itself. He sighs and wiggles his arms over his chest, closing his eyes and reaching through then past his mind, into the depths of the world that the surface can only dream of, to the roots of the trees and the catacombs of plants, to the decay and the moss and the seas. He reaches through them, calling for them, for them to serve the only equal that they have, to ask for their help. The flowers and the plants, the trees and vines all push through his body and use his energy to clamber through the Earth until his hands are pushing through the soil. 

The Faery sighs heavily and spits out some soil from his mouth "Thank you," he whispers to the Earth, the Earth smiles back as he manages to his feet, then retracts to where they wish to be. 

"I was wondering how long it would take you, an hour and a half, once it reached two hours I was going to start digging," Roman gives his lover an incredulous look, wiping his dirt-stained cheeks with exhaustion in his eyes, but he deserves it, he knows. "See I was wondering if for once, maybe, you might learn your lesson but I could leave you down there for a year and you still would never **_fucking_** care," Virgil's voice cracked as he holds up the charm "I thought you were dead, it was burning like nothing I had ever seen, I thought you had died," he's shouting, but he's past anger, past fury. The way his voice cracks like the thunder that so easily bends to his will, the tears dripping down his ivory cheeks...Virgil is heartbroken. "You will never think past yourself Roman and I hate that, it's the only thing about you that I will truly ever hate,"

"Virgil, I'm sorry,"

 ** _"No you're not,"_ **Virgil shouts, no, _screams_. "You're not fucking sorry, well you are, but not because you put yourself in danger without thinking critically, not because I ran to you thinking you were dead, but because I am shouting at you, you're sorry because you want me to stop being upset," His tongue rolls his words like knives that burn much more than the iron had dared too. "And you want to drag that poor boy into this too? He gets to spend his short, tiny life worrying about you?" Virgil sniffles "I don't believe you, and I won't until you keep that goddamn temper in your head and stop using it to throw yourself into situations that I have to be the one to worry about,"

"Please, Virgil I..."

"Save it, show me you're sorry, change it, but in the meantime we have some business to attend to together, because no, Patton did not deserve that and those men deserve to be punished before they hurt someone else, because I want to protect Patton," He takes a deep breath "But not out of ownership, Roman, because I genuinely care about him and not because I think someone else broke my toy," He turns, Roman follows, he always follows. 

* * *

Patton's eyes feel heavy, so does his chest for that matter. He opens his eyes to find a little black lump on his chest and two wide purple eyes staring at him, tail thumping quietly against his stomach. "Sleeping beauty awakes!" Came a soft and motherly voice as he looks up "Don't mind Remy, he's a curious little lump, Remy, stop lying on top of him," The cat gives an almost human sigh as it leaps to the floor; the mortal smiles, sitting up and leaning down to scratch behind its ears, listening to the little ball of fur purring. "You're safe here my love, Virgil tells me you got into a fight? Scrawny little thing like you should know not to pick fights with brick walls,"

"I didn't exactly pick it, it just kinda came after me with a knife and homophobia," Patton gives a sad smile "Where am I?"

"You're at Virgil's home, my home, well...our coven, Virgil brought you here in a right state and left just as fast about an hour ago," She hands him a warm cup of tea and the sort of smile that only a mother has; Patton supposes when she sees a small and terrified little boy she only knows her son in them. Although Virgil was certainly not what the Human would describe as scared or fragile by any accounts. "Homophobia?" She continues with a confused look "What is Homophobia...a fear?"

"Hatred," Patton whispers, do Witches not have homophobia? "Of men who love other men or women who love other women," The look this receives is almost hilarious, utter confusion like a child being handed a theoretical science book and told to solve its problems. But a sharp pang hits Patton's chest as he realizes for the first time in his life that Humans really are the real monsters in this world, breeding hatred of anything that is different, fear of something outside their own minds. His shoulders sag a little and tears spring to his eyes, and now he has dragged not only Virgil and Roman but Virgil's mother (and cat?) into his mess without a thought for their own lives. 

"And they attacked you for that?" She asked, horrified and confused "Humans can be so vile," She whispers, as Remy leaps into her lap, giving a look too sad for an ordinary cat to give, his movements are almost human. Patton squints a little as she bats her hands "Remy stop climbing on me, I have tea in my hand," The cat jumps down.

"He can...understand you?" He blinks his blue eyes at the creature who is giving him a feline equivalent of a raised eyebrow. "Do Witches really have familiars?" Remy leaps up onto the table beside him, Patton holds out a hand to stroke behind his ears, listening to him purr, his fur so soft and comfortable and Patton really wishes he could stop crying, but for some reason, they won't stop falling. 

"Some of us do, but he isn't my familiar," Patton raises his eyebrows, a little 'oh' on his lips as he withdraws his hand, the cat begins to shift a little, blurring and crackling like electricity until there isn't a cat there at all...but a human. "He's my pain in the backside son," Virgil has a brother then. The boy grins, purple eyes wide and full, like they had seen many things and would see many more as he leans his head on the Human's shoulder, inhaling deeply. "Remy, pack it in, Virgil won't be happy if you start flirting with his Human,"

"He doesn't smell very claimed, at all for that matter," She sighs and swats the back of her son's head lightly. He has very cat-like features now he is human, nuzzling comfortably against Patton's shoulder; which is more comfortable for the Witch and less so for the Human as Remy has two very small horns behind two very soft cat ears. Witches are really something else, but he can't exactly say no to a creature so much more powerful than he is, right? 

"Claimed?"

"You don't want to know what that means sweetheart, Remy, behave yourself he's a mortal, you'll have him blushing like a tomato, now make yourself useful and do the dishes," The man grins and slides off of the table with a hum, hips swaying as he gathers up the cups and plates around the house and began to fill up the rickety old sink with water, grabbing a cloth and soap. "Remy doesn't quite know how to deal with humans yet, he's never met one before, and unfortunately for him, he has a very catlike tendency to make himself appear like a bitch in heat,"

"Love you too mother!" She chuckles a little "Virgil should be back soon although I don't know where he's gone, I suspect I don't want to know either, he was in a right state; furious and confused and very anxious," She sits and leans back in her chair. "What do you remember, love? You're not in trouble I just need to know whether my son is safe, and most of the time I can always tell he is, but the prince has constantly got him into trouble over the last decade and this time Roman wasn't with him, so I can't help but fear he is the source,"

"There were three boys chasing me," Patton says slowly "They were calling me...derogatory names, and one of them stabbed me right in my side," His eyebrows furrows as he rests a hand there "But it's healed?" Right, Virgil, Witches, healing spells and whatnot "Anyway, I remember seeing Roman and Virgil and Roman grabbed me as I collapsed, I'd lost a lot of blood, I heard Virgil shouting at Roman and then he picked me up, he said something to me but I can't remember what it was, I'm sorry I don't think I'm much help because I blacked out after that,"

"It's okay love, your body is quite fragile, those conditions must have been extremely stressful," She looks over at her younger son, who looks up over at her. His facade slips a little and Patton can see a quiet fear that he feels that the other does not quite want to address. If Patton had a brother he'd probably feel the same way, terrified, but his brother would not be like Virgil; someone no less than terrifying and powerful, the sort of person who has sunsets bend to his will is not someone he would fear being in danger. But one day even stars burn out and all of their energy fails, even if he thinks of Virgil as a powerful immortal, his mother has lived many long years and seen the grass turn shades so many times, she knows her son is not invincible. 

"I'm sure he'll be home soon ma, he's probably just punching Roman for something," A short laugh escapes the other as she nods. 

"Probably,"


	3. Heaven and Hell were words to me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Patton recovers, he realizes where Virgil and Roman might be and seek them out, not wanting blood on their hands.

_"If the Lord don't forgive me,_

_I would still have my baby_

_And my baby would have me,"_

_-Work Song, Hozier_

* * *

"You look panicked," Remy hums gently, "There is something wrong," Their voices are a hushed whisper as they conspire over the table, Patton's eyes close before he nods, pressing his fingers tight into his palms, leaving little half-moons where his nails met his flesh. "We can try to find them, well you can, I have to stay here," The Witch stands and paces the shelves on the wall, an intense look in his eyes as though he is searching for something in particular. He holds a little pendant in his hand before looking around again. "Ah, there," He pulls out a small box of threads before taking one out and wrapping the thread around it in an intricate pattern of knots. Then he lets it dangle between his fingers with a soft whisper of words. 

Patton jumps a little as the pendant moves out of the way of the wind. "I can walk you to the gates for protection, but from there you're alone, don't come back into the forest alone, okay?" Patton takes the charm delicately into his hands "I have a feeling you know where you're going to find them," He shifts into his cat form and jumps up on Patton's shoulder. 

"I'm hoping I'm wrong," He sighs as they both head outside the door, following the pathway to the entrance of the forest "I'm _really_ hoping I'm wrong,"

* * *

Roman is getting the silent treatment and he knows it, he can't exactly say he's happy about it but really there's nothing he can do about that right now. When Virgil is angry like this, to the point where his fury and melancholia are the same, there is only a waiting game that lets the Witch calm down. No soft words will change this situation, no declaration of love or apologies, Roman could only hope he hasn't fucked up badly enough that he will be alone again. As they approach the town again and the prince has finished picking dirt out of his nails, he can see Virgil watching and waiting for a direction. 

The wind blows gently, but with a forceful edge as though gently pushing them into a direction. This is Virgil's forte, the wind, and the rain and the storms, they all dance at his fingertips in a mutual discussion of help. He doesn't have to thank the air the way Roman does with the plants because whilst the Fae are friends of their powers, witches are the masters of theirs. In some ways, this makes Witches more powerful than the Fae, but it isn't exactly a slave's love that makes the wind obey Virgil, it is the knowledge that it is given a purpose other than to exist. What the Fae create, Witches maintain. A beneficial relationship that had been one of the reasons Roman had given them refuge in the Spring kingdom, nature-based powers allow their creations to thrive so much more wonderfully than they would alone. 

Yet at times like this, Roman fears Virgil. Not his own safety he knows his love would never truly harm him, but for the entire world that he would destroy to make sure that Roman is safe, a world he could bring to its knees at the click of his fingers. Roman is glad he is alive because for once he has to be Virgil's restraint, he knows that he would flood this entire village to bring revenge on Roman's death, every person, every mother and father, and every _child_ would suffer. 

The wind directs them with its careful hand, like a parent leading their child. It brings them to a home that looks to be older than half of the village itself. It stands out of the way with a large plot of land surrounding it; inside they can hear voices. Virgil raises a hand and the wind blows towards them, carrying the voices and their words, yes this is the right place and those are the right boys. Boys who pretend to be men with their knives and their vulgarity, but they will never know what being a man should pertain, nor will they ever learn as Virgil's eyes turn dark and the lightning flashes across the sky. 

The sky peels back as the clouds paint themselves in silver and grey, the low rumble of the cloud's voices are a warning, the only warning these mortals will get as the lightning reaches from the sky to strike the ground. The entire village holds a small storm above it like a plant held in a terrarium. Roman sighs heavily, even if he could stop Virgil he wouldn't, not after seeing Patton's tear-stained and bloodsoaked face. The fear on the young man's face pressed behind the Faery's chest as he hisses a little into the air, teeth sharp and glinting, eyes burning red. Patton knows better than anyone what it means to be a man, more than these foolish mortals will (Because he ran away from the danger, whilst they ran into it). 

Lightning strikes around the house as if marking a danger zone, a caution tape around a crime scene. Virgil pushes the door open so forcefully that it cracks against the stone, a hinge clattering off of its axis. There is a man and a woman sat at the table despite the late night, a scream rips from the woman's throat as she staggers back. Roman forgets how Virgil his lover must look to others, the horns soaked in rainwater as the light bounces off of them, eyes as black as the unbroken night's sky, teeth like daggers. **"You may leave,"** Virgil says calmly **"My issue is not with you,"** Roman moves to the side to allow them to pass **"Your sons committed a crime, they will be punished,"**

"No, no please, please I'm sure we can come to an arrangement...please...I'll give you anything," The woman begs, as her husband's hands press against her arms, trying to drag her through the door, she digs her heels in and fights against the floorboards until he lifts her up completely and leaves the house "Please!" She screams. Roman gives her a pitied look, but Virgil barely flinches at her anguish. 

**"That terror you feel, I have felt twice today,"** He says to her crying face **"Perhaps you will raise your next child not to murder people,"** Her jaw goes slack and Roman gives a tight smile. 

"Sleep," He says gently, pressing his fingertips to her forehead, she goes limp in her husband's arms "She will wake when the sun rises, take her away from here, you will be safe to return in the morning," He steps back "I will try to make sure it is as painless for them as possible, despite the fact I am in agony because of your sons," Ivy clambers up his arms as he walks away, like a knight donning his armor, following Virgil's thunderous footsteps up the stairs. The boys are huddled in the room with looks of terror on their face. "Virgil are you sure?" Lightning strikes the ground, Roman cusses under his breath as he watches the frantic lights in the sky "Virgil you need to calm down before you destroy the entire village," Electricity crackles at Virgil's hands as he snarls at the boys as they whimper and press against the wall. 

"How are you alive? We buried you!" One of them screams out at Roman, who moves into the light, eyes the color of an active Volcano's insides. The Ivy seems to slide against his skin, curling up against his jaw. 

"No grave can hold me down," He gives a small smile, one too kind for what he's about to do. "Not when I have my love to get back home too," Virgil bristles a little, the storm calms a little as the younger seems to relax at the softly spoken words. "And now I have to make a decision, you tried to kill me, you almost killed Patton, and worse you terrified him," He crouches to face the other's at their own level (far, far into the Earth, their level much further below where they stand). "You injured a prince and I imagine if I don't kill you and my companions find out what you did you will meet a fate much worse than the death that Virgil will wish to give you," He hears the door open downstairs, his head turns to look at the stairs as feet clatter up it "If you tell me your names I could make it much easier for you,"

"Roman, don't!" The voice has his pointed ears pricking as he draws himself to his full height, meeting those soft and wide and scared eyes which clutches a pendant between den delicate fingertips. "Please, don't, not on my behalf I don't want this," The mortal sounds so determined despite the terrified shake of his lips as he looks between the two lovers and the whimpering boys "Please, give them an offer instead, by your laws you have to give them an offer, they didn't kill you nor me, therefore death isn't a warranted repercussion, right Virgil?" Electricity dies from the Witches fingertips "It would draw attention, cause hostility amongst the people here and the neighbors in the woods". 

"How do you know Fae law?" Virgil whispered, the tongue that had ricocheted off the walls now dying in his awe and surprise of the Human. "He's technically right," Virgil muttered "They didn't trespass into our territory, they didn't murder Patton or you, therefore death would not be a fair judgment, not yet anyway," He gives them a pointed glare and the boys throats tighten as they look up at the Fae prince. "Not that I wanted to be reminded,"

"You treat life too flippantly," Patton hisses at Virgil, who looks a little disturbed by that and steps to the side as the storm relaxes and eases. "If you're doing this on my behalf don't you dare ever presume I would want anyone dead, do you understand?" Roman bows his head, not for the first time to Patton, who still does not understand why the gesture makes Virgil shuffle a little on the spot. The prince turns to crouch before the boys again. 

"An offer it is," He places his fingers to the neck of one of the boys, whose eyes widen in pain, a scream ripping through his throat as if he had been burned. The other two screw their eyes shut before their own pain is on display with a mere touch of Roman's fingertips. A small sigil is burned to their necks before he retreats. "You lay a hand on Patton again and you will find yourself in a pain unimaginable, I know you mortals do not understand what it means to be protected by a Fae, but those marks on your neck will now tell you," He steps back "You will find a new path in life, one that isn't full of bloodshed, every blade of grass has eyes and I will know if you violate the terms of your life, I will not kill you but I will make you wish I had," 

Patton stares at Roman's dangerous eyes and steps back, Virgil holds a hand out for the shaking Human, but he only flinches away. "Not precisely what I wanted out of my day, but it'll do," The Witch grumbles as he heads down the stairs, leaving the crying boys behind. 

* * *

Remy looks up from his book as the three come trudging in, wrinkling his nose as he looks at the dirt-stained face of the Fae prince "Shall I run a bath?" He asks, the look he is given is flippant but enough for him to know that Roman is not quite in the mood for hilarity today. He slides off the chair and trudges up the small steps (not the ladder that leads to the bedrooms) to run a bath. Patton blushes a little as Roman tugs his shirt over his head like it's nothing, averting his gaze a little. "Careful sweetheart you look as though you might faint if you stare any harder," Remy whispers into his ear as he brushes past him. Roman kicks off the rest of his clothes and slides into the water; no one else seems remotely perturbed. 

He supposes Virgil has seen the prince naked enough times by now. 

"We live in a forest, in a coven, do you think being naked is on a list of things to embarrassed about?" Patton looks up from his suddenly very interesting feet as Remy offers him a cup of tea "I've probably seen Roman's dick more than his mother has, me and Virgil share a bedroom," A swift tap to the back of Remy's head has the young Witch rolling his eyes and moving away from humiliating Patton. 

"Sorry about Rem, he's an asshole,"

"Love you too!" The younger brother clambers up the ladders towards his bedroom, giving an unbalanced wave before he disappears over the wooden edge and a door closes. Virgil offers his hand again now that Patton has calmed a little, the mortal takes it as he heaves a deep sigh, and leans his head on the other's shoulder. Virgil stiffens in surprise, but wraps a comforting arm around the other's shoulder, looking up he meets Roman's eyes on the other side of the long room, giving a shake of his head. 

"Would you be more comfortable if I looked more Human?" The Witch asks gently "I understand our customs are probably quite disorientating for you," This earns a quiet laugh. 

"Yeah, your brother turns into a cat," Patton pulls away and laughs, short and full of incredulity, "And you have horns, and Roman can bind people's lives with words I..." The laugh fades, the smile dissolves like sugar into water, but there is nothing sweet about the look on his face. "I know Fae law because I needed to know it before I said yes, before I asked Roman, I needed to do my research, that's where I've been, but I don't know if it's worth it Virgil I don't belong here I am nothing as extraordinary as any of you and I don't understand," He chokes on his words, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes "I don't understand how anyone as extraordinary as any of you could even want to be in my company, you can summon lightning, and I can't even run fast enough to not get stabbed,"

"Neither can I apparently," Roman pads out of the tub, running a towel through his hair. He notices the way Patton's eyes go anywhere but to him and wraps the towel around his waist with a light sigh "I have lived a long time, Patton," He raises a hand to rest under the other's chin "I have never met anyone who is not extraordinary, ordinary is a term mortals use to make others conform, but I believe you just talked a very angry Witch out of murdering three boys, not to mention a rather furious Fae prince who was ready to rip their throats out for laying a finger on you," He looks at Virgil "I would say that's fairly extraordinary," Virgil nods in agreement, his fingertips running over Patton's arms, making his nerves feel almost electric with just one touch. 

There's probably plenty more where that came from.

"I know you're scared, it's okay to be scared, but don't think you're lesser than us because the Earth doesn't bend to your will, we're here to make sure it does," Virgil doesn't want to admit, he really doesn't. It's Roman's job to fall in love like there's not enough time in the world to do so, it's his job to make sure the idiot doesn't get himself killed. But Patton gives him a small and hopeful smile and suddenly Virgil's entire body feels like it has sunlight shooting through his veins. "Rest here tonight, spend the day with us tomorrow,"

"Only if you put some clothes on," Patton mutters, sniffling a little "It's hard to stay mad at you when you're so beautiful,"

"Please don't feed his ego,"

"No, please do!" Roman grins as Virgil throws him some clothes "I could always do with it," Virgil rolls his eyes in such a domestic way, the sort of love in his eyes that a husband might to his lifelong companion, annoyed but without edge. A calm sort of adoration in his eyes. It's then that Roman realizes that the other has stopped being mad at him, much quicker than previously. He can guess why, when Virgil smiles at Patton in a way that the prince isn't sure the younger has quite noticed himself doing, he's not mad because he doesn't want to upset Patton. 

He supposes that perhaps, it was a common goal they both had. 


End file.
